1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to ozone generation cells and more particularly to an apparatus for ozone production, employing line and grooved electrodes.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally ozone generation cells employ two spaced-apart electrodes with a gap in between, in which an electric field is formed with sufficient strength to ionize a fluid such as air in the gap. The electric field has sufficient strength to ionize air when it is able to accelerate electrons released from the surface of one of the electrodes or a dielectric material in the gap such that they have sufficient kinetic energy to penetrate, or punch oxygen (O2) molecules in the fluid in the gap causing them to split into two ions (O+) which readily combine with O2 to create one ozone (O3) molecule.
Not all electrons actually hit an O2 molecule. Some electrons hit nitrogen (N2) or other molecules in the gap and release their kinetic energy to those molecules as heat, optical or ultraviolet energy. Other electrons never hit any molecules in the gap, rather, they release their kinetic energy as heat, optical or ultraviolet energy when they hit the opposite electrode. Furthermore, not all electrons are released from the surfaces of electrodes or dielectrics with the same ease.
Desirably, the electric field created in the gap is configured to impart enough electrons with sufficient kinetic energy to punch O2 molecules and desirably the gap is suitably dimensioned to expose released electrons to a sufficiently large number of O2 molecules such that the probability that an electron will punch an O2 molecule is maximized.
The kinetic energy imparted to electrons and thus the ability to ionize O2 is highly dependent upon the electric field in the gap and on the ability of the surfaces defining the gap to release electrons. The electric field depends upon the potential applied to the electrodes, but once this potential is set, the electric field at any given point in the gap is affected by non-uniformities in the spacing between the electrodes, non-uniformities in the thickness of any dielectric material in the gap, lack of smoothness of discharge surfaces on the electrodes, and non-uniform airflow in the gap. These non-uniformities create localized changes in the electric field and affect the kinetic energy imparted to electrons in certain areas of the gap. Consequently, insufficient kinetic energy to ionize O2 may be imparted to electrons in some areas and more kinetic energy than is required to ionize O2 may be imparted to electrons in other areas.
In general, any electrons that do not punch an O2 molecule to produce ions that ultimately become O3 release their kinetic energy as optical energy, ultraviolet energy, or as heat either to the molecules in the gap, to the electrode to which the electrons are attracted or to the dielectric within the gap. The heat energy produced from the kinetic energy of the non-ozone-producing electrons heats up the fluid in the gap. Beyond a certain temperature, ozone production is diminished.
In areas where the kinetic energy imparted to electrons is optimum a localized ion cloud area may be formed which readily provides ions to incoming fluid in the gap. In areas where the kinetic energy is not used to create ions, localized non-ionization areas are formed, in which ozone production is not optimized.
What would be desirable therefore is a way of maximizing ion cloud areas within the air gap, while minimizing non-ion cloud areas, and a way of dissipating heat generated by the loss of kinetic energy of electrons that are not directly involved in the production of ozone, to optimize ozone production, or in other words, to produce ozone in the highest concentration with minimal expenditure of energy.